"To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

[Disney Wrassler]

Have any of you caught any of the newest Friday Night Dateline specials "To Catch a Predator" episodes recently?

So far they documented their sting in Georgia and last friday/tomorrow night, the are documenting the sting they did in Northern California.

For anyone who may not know what "To Catch a Predator" is, Dateline host Chris Henson teams up with Perverted Justice and local police departments to bust on line sexual predators who go after children.


Second question, how would you feel if you knew Dateline was doing one of these stings on your street or in the area you live in?

[frecky]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

Ive never heard of it, but it sounds interesting...Ill try and remember to watch it tomorrow.

I honestly dont know.

[stinkerbell]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

Our local news stations in the Portland area have teamed up with law enforcement agencies to do this many times. I don't mind!

I think Dateline should change their name to "To Catch a Congressman"

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

I didn't watch the show, but I heard about it. I'm not thrilled about the way they're doing their sting. Not that I'm a huge fan of sting operations in the first place, but they're needlessly humiliating guys who actually haven't committed a crime. Guns drawn, surrounding a guy who's walking with his head down? Not necessary guys. Purely for drama. Bleh.

They did not talk to a child, nor did they have sex with a child.

I wouldn't want the team on my block. Just seems like a bad idea. I live on a quiet street and I like it that way.

[Melonballer]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

I like the suggestion that someone posted somewhere else on Micechat. I think Adam Carolla thought of it. He suggested that if you were going to go meet someone you met on the internet you ought to take a picture of Chris Hanson with you and when he comes into the room asking you what you are doing there say "I'm trying to get your autograph."

[Captain Rex]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

I didn't watch the show, but I heard about it. I'm not thrilled about the way they're doing their sting. Not that I'm a huge fan of sting operations in the first place, but they're needlessly humiliating guys who actually haven't committed a crime. Guns drawn, surrounding a guy who's walking with his head down? Not necessary guys. Purely for drama. Bleh.

Sorry, but soliciting sex from a minor IS a crime (even if the "minor" is a decoy) and they committed it. And the reason the cops drop down on them hard with guns drawn is because if they WERE carrying a weapon, they would most likely use it on the cops to not go to jail, or themselves out of humiliation. (Especially if you consider their mental state) on the last episode, they did catch a guy with a shotgun in his truck

The reason the sting works and why its a GREAT THING is because people who solicit sex from REAL kids will now think twice "hmm.... maybe this is actually that dude from NBC" (or other sting) and not pursue the child any further.

[Kaye]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

I love when he does this show..

I caught a glimpse of when he was Oprah and they had this one from the FDNY yes the Fire Department of NY when my brother saw this (cause he works in the main head qaurters) He was shocked and couldnt believe he knew this guy and to top he works for the FDNY... What is this world coming to?

[piratesmom]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

They did a sting not to far from us here in southern califorina (riverside area).

I think it is a good idea. I have a 17yr old and 13 yr old step daughters and I have them sit and watch it each time with me. I have caught the older one talking to people online in an unappropriate manner and quickly put a stop to it.

We keep the computer in the living room where we can monitor all of our kids online activities.

Also, any one who is caught in a situation like that is going to claim up and down that they didnt do anything, and the scary thing is that these men are doctors and fireman and important men in their communities.

[stinkerbell]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

A related incident. Our local Portland guy from www.pervertedjustice.com was instrumental in this sting, but he says it doesn't change his mission.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/06/national/main2156580.shtml

A prosecutor killed himself as police tried to serve him with an arrest warrant alleging he solicited sex with a minor, authorities said.

Louis "Bill" Conradt Jr., 56, a chief felony assistant district attorney for Rockwall County, died Sunday. Police had moved to arrest Conradt following a sting operation aimed at exposing child sex predators set up by a television news program.

Police forced their way into Conradt's Terrell home after hearing a gunshot when he refused to answer the door, a police spokesman said. The officers found Conradt with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He later died at a hospital in Dallas, about 30 miles west of his home in Terrell.

Police in the town of Murphy said Conradt had solicited sex from a decoy posing online as a 13-year-old. Murphy police were attempting to serve an arrest warrant and a search warrant for Conradt's computer when he shot himself, Murphy Police spokesman Sgt. Snow Robertson said.

It's sad that it came to this, but I'm still in support of the sting operations.

[RobotMirror]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

Like anything, this has good and bad elements. I thought these were fascinating when first done, but now they are doing them weekly? There's a lot of problems, legally, with the operation, some of which they've tried to account for, but the fact is, they're not trying to make sure prosecution is successful, they're out there for Good TV.

The allowing these men to walk out the front door where they are tackled by law enforcement with guns drawn is ONLY for dramatic purposes. There are a million ways to avoid that, including having an officer in the house or asking the individual to remain in the house to be arrested. Those help an entrapment defense, however, and I expect at least some of these cases are going to end up in a dismissal, which Dateline doesn't seem to care much about.

[Alchimedes]

Re: "To Catch A Predator" (New Episodes)

Maybe I'm a bit naive to this, but it amazes me how many Military personnel are caught in this.